We are raising funds to support Joya R. Mallick, a dedicated PhD candidate in Civil & Environmental Engineering at Georgia Tech, after a devastating accident that has placed her on a long and challenging road to recovery.

On the morning of November 3, 2025, around 9:30 AM, Joya was riding a scooter to her lab at Mason building when she was run over by a van at the Papa John’s intersection on 10th St. (990 State St NW, Atlanta). She suffered severe, life-threatening injuries and was immediately transported to Grady Hospital, Atlanta where she spent 9 days in the Intensive Care Unit.

Joya’s injuries were extensive and traumatic, including:

Multiple pelvic fractures

Rib and scapula fractures

Urethral injury

Liver and vaginal lacerations

Significant internal trauma and complications across multiple systems

She underwent major pelvic surgery and numerous additional procedures. Following the intensive care, Joya spent two weeks in acute rehabilitation and occupational therapy, working tirelessly to regain mobility. She still faces a long recovery journey, with ongoing treatments, therapy, and medical follow-ups expected well into next year and beyond.

Who Joya Is:

Joya is a member of the Georgia Tech community. She has already passed her PhD Candidacy Exams, serving as an outstanding teaching assistant, and is deeply respected within her research group. Her supervisor describes her as an “exceptional student, an outstanding teaching assistant in several courses, and an exemplary member of our research group, always fostering positive team dynamics.”

Her passion for research, the care she shows her mentees, and her unwavering positivity touch everyone who knows her.

Why We are Asking for Help:

Joya is currently living on a graduate research assistant (GRA) stipend of around $3000 per month, which makes covering unexpected medical expenses of this scale impossible without additional support. Even with insurance, the financial burden from an accident of this magnitude is overwhelming.

Joya’s insurance requires:

$500 deductible + $6,350 maximum out-of-pocket per year = totaling $6,850 per year

Across 2025 and 2026, this amounts to = $13,700

To cover this and the additional costs for medications, transportation for medical care, and other recovery necessities, we are adding a modest miscellaneous budget of = $1,300.

Disability housing and additional costs of physical therapy $5000.

This amounts to a total goal of $20,000.

All documentation will be provided with sensitive information redacted, and updates will be posted as Joya continues her recovery.

How You Can Help:

Joya’s accident has upended every part of her life. She has shown incredible courage, strength, resilience, and determination, but she cannot face this financial burden alone.

Your contribution, no matter the size, will directly support her ongoing recovery and help her return to the research, teaching, and community she loves. If you are unable to donate, sharing this fundraiser is deeply appreciated.

Thank you for standing with Joya during this difficult and uncertain time. Your kindness and generosity mean more than words can express.

-Joya’s Friends